Winnebago County sheriff candidates share crime-fighting plans

ROCKFORD - All seven Winnebago County sheriff candidates gathered on the eve of early voting to discuss their plans to tackle crime as the county's top law enforcement official.

Roughly 100 people attended a candidate forum Sunday at Christ United Methodist Church, hosted by the American Association of University Women, Rockford Urban Ministries and League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford.

Early voting for the March 18 primary election begins Monday. Voters will choose between Randy Olson, Jeff Schroeder, Glenn Heidenreich, Bob Redmond and Bob Springer in the Democratic primary. They'll select between Frank Pobjecky and Gary Caruana in the Republican primary.

Candidates were given one minute each to answer various questions about how they'd fight violent crime, work with other departments in the region, increase diversity in the department and tackle issues at the Winnebago County Jail during an hour-long forum.

Olson, a former Pecatonica police officer and deputy commander of the air support unit of the Winthrop Harbor Police Department, said he would focus on education of youth and increasing diversity to assure the department reflects the population of Winnebago County.

"The only way to change crime and reduce crime within the county is to start working with young people," Olson said. "We have to change the culture of what's being done."

Schroeder, a retired senior sergeant of the sheriff's department, said he plans to be a one-term sheriff with a goal to settle "in-house issues," improve training, bolster corrections staff and attack crime by putting more officers on the street.

"Just like in the military, you can't fight a war without soldiers. You can't fight street crime without police officers," said Schroeder, a Vietnam veteran. "We need to put people back on the street and keep them on the street."

Springer, a retired deputy chief with the sheriff's department, said he will make it a priority to settle internal issues in the corrections department and work with police departments across Winnebago County to cooperatively fight crime.

"I would work with our chiefs in solving this in a regional manner, meaning sharing information, sharing resources and sharing manpower," Springer said. "As sheriff, the best thing we can do is support the individual departments that serve our communities."

Redmond, a retired Rockford police sergeant, said his experience investigating drug, gang and violent crimes suits him to lead the department. He said Winnebago County needs to build relationships with other department to share resources and information.

"That's what helps you fight crime," Redmond said. "With those relationships the information, just like I said before, moves quickly and you make aggressive arrests and go after the bad guys."

Heidenreich, a former Navy Seal and sergeant with the sheriff's department, promised to add transparency to the department's hiring process and end "good ol' boy" practices. He said he would create a citizens advisory panel to evaluate use of the 1 cent sales tax that paid to construct the jail and increase saturated patrols at crime hot spots.

"When we do this kind of work, we have to be stern, we have to be swift and there has to be some kind of action the criminal is going to see," Heidenreich said. "If we do this, we're going to be able to wipe this crime off the street."

Pobjecky is a U.S. Army veteran who has spent six years with the sheriff's department. He said the county needs to focus on helping juvenile offenders turn their life around to prevent them from a life of crime. He also wants to add manpower to the department's drug and gang task force.

"One thing you guys can trust in me, and know I will do with all my heart and compassion is really focus on this high-crime rate and this violent crime rate," Pobjecky told people at the forum.

Caruana, a former corrections and patrol officer for the department, retired in 2012 as the corporate security manager of United Parcel Service in Illinois. He said he wants to work with businesses and the ministry to give them a voice in fighting crime. He said he will make changes in the jail, command staff and merit commission to improve the department.

"I'm going to get the right person for the right fit, not just change to change or retaliate," Caruana said. "In your heart, mind and soul if you're not ready for this change, I'm not your guy, do not vote for me, because I will make effective, cerebral, analyzed changes."